Producer & Multi-Instrumentalist John Hayes Shares Deep-House Track “Winged”; Announces New EP ‘Bloom’ (3/1)

Today, Denver-via-Minneapolis producer and multi-instrumentalist John Hayes is proud to announce a new electronic EP titled Bloom. Hayes has been known for his subtle ambient compositions but on Bloom, he takes a massive lead forward fusing atmospheric pianos and dizzying synths with pulsating, deep-house rhythms. “Winged” out today, perfectly illustrates Hayes’ musical evolution. Listen to “Winged” on all digital retailers (here).  

Hayes elaborates on “Winged” and his foray into more beat-driven electronic music: “This was the first song written for this EP and a track that really came together quickly. I like to write a lot by making a drone and then just improvising on my piano over it. The piano and harp really carry the track and once those fell into place, the rest of the track really came together quickly. This is a track I’m really proud of. I’ve loved electronic music since I discovered it back in about 5th or 6th grade. Obviously, my background in making music really has centered around the piano, but this was the first beat-driven electronic track that I made on my own where I really felt I was starting to tap into the music I want to make.”

“Winged” follows recent singles “Palms” and “Changeless” which will appear on Bloom. John Hayes’ new EP is due out March 1st via Nettwerk.

Listen & Share “Winged” Here:
https://johnhayes.ffm.to/winged

Bloom represents a massive step forward for producer and multi-instrumentalist John Hayes, as the Denver-based artist expands his own sonic boundaries with smashing results. Across these five tracks, Hayes immerses himself in the world of body-moving electronic music like never before, resulting in music that’s energetic and propulsive but still containing the emotive streak that’s marked his work thus far. Recalling the hypnotic dancefloor psychedelia of artists like Jon Hopkins and Rival Consoles, Bloom is the beginning of an exciting new path for Hayes as well as a full realization of his influences and ambitions.

After growing up with the piano as his primary instrument, Hayes eventually abandoned classical studies in college and started immersing himself in the intricacies of score work, as well as the limitless opportunities of electronic music production. Armed with GarageBand and a Beat Thang sampler, he spent his time in higher education honing his craft and making beats for other artists at school. “Being able to manipulate samples was very eye-opening for me,” he recalls.  “I was always interested in electronic music. I just had no idea how to make any of it.”

When Hayes was 23, a close friend passed away—an experience of grief that pushed him to pursue music with even more purpose than before. “That feeling that it could all be gone is why I make music. Why would I not do exactly what I want to do with my time? We’re only around for so long.” Inspired by Nils Frahm’s hybridic neo-classical electronic approach, Hayes has since amassed an impressive and expansive body of work, both under his own name and as Twinsleep with frequent collaborator Maxy Dutcher.

The seeds for Bloom lie in Hayes’ 2020 collaborative LP with Dutcher, Borealis—a creative experience that led Hayes to realize that electronic music “was a route I wanted to go down further.” Bloom was conceived after Hayes’ recent move to Denver, and despite the sonic break they represent from the past, the songwriting process was not dissimilar from the gorgeous piano-led ambience of 2022’s Beautifully Lost Mind. “Emotionally, I’m able to get deeper into what I want musically now,” he ruminates while discussing what these releases represent at this stage of his career as an artist. “Electronic music has helped me open more doors when it comes to expressing myself how I want to. Versatility is something I respect a lot in music because it means that you’re challenging yourself.”

Track List:

1. Palms
2. Changeless
3. Bloom
4. Winged
5. Dyad